Trip Wire
by Saber Wing
Summary: Most people acquainted with Howard Stark claimed he never got angry. Nick Fury was one of the few who knew better.


Most people acquainted with Howard Stark claimed he never got angry. Nick Fury was one of the few who knew better.

Everyone, business partners and competitors alike, knew that the CEO of Stark International was generally a very mild-mannered, reasonable man. Besides being cool as a cucumber under pressure, he managed to maintain the perfect balance of likability and no-nonsense, both in tech development and around his conference table, and the results showed in the stock market.

As a result, Howard commanded a respect that didn't hinge on screaming or promises of anger, and perhaps that was one of the reasons he was so universally feared by his adversaries in the business world. He had practically monopolized the market without even raising his voice, let alone a fist. Considering the obstacles he'd faced over the years, it was awe-inspiring to think about.

Respect wasn't an emotion Nick Fury experienced often, admiration even less so, but he could call it when he saw it, and this man commanded both. Didn't mean he trusted the guy, but then, he didn't trust anyone completely.

Nick knew his file by heart. Personality, biography, list of patents and any other detail besides that he might need to look up about the man's life and its happenings. He knew every address Howard ever lived at, every school he went to, the names of family members and childhood friends, living or dead.

He also knew every human being had a breaking point. A proverbial trip-wire in their subconscious, destroying anyone unfortunate enough to trigger it. Finding Howard's had been simple enough, after years of knowing the man.

For the sake of self-preservation, Nick hoped he'd never have to use it.

Clearly, General Talbot was not privy to the same knowledge. He and Howard Stark had never gotten along in any respect of the word. That was no secret.

"You knew my stance before you came here General, and I'm sorry if you chose to misunderstand me, but providing S.H.I.E.L.D. with tech is not the same as making things that blow up for the military. I've been out of that business for eighteen years and I don't plan to change that for you or for anyone."

Howard stood with Fury on the hangar deck, stance relaxed, tone perfectly civil. He and his son Tony had been working on a way to make the helicarrier's engines cleaner and more fuel-efficient, and they were both currently on-board ensuring everything was running the way it should.

Unfortunately for everyone, Talbot decided to pick the same week for an annual inspection of their equipment.

"It's your choice, Stark. If you want to miss out on another multi-million dollar contract, that's your bed to lie in. There are always other, more willing manufacturers. Perhaps we should take more of our business to them while we're at it."

Howard merely smiled softly, nonplussed. Save for a slight tightening around the eyes, Nick could find no outward signs of agitation.

"You're free to do whatever you please, General Talbot. We have a free market economy for a reason. But keep in mind that Stark International is _my _company. I won't have anyone insinuating I don't know what I'm doing with it."

Talbot straightened his back, even further, if that were possible. "You've got a lot of nerve, Stark. I'll give you that. You, and your iron maniac of a son. Tell me. How many new suits of armor has he designed lately?"

If Fury had been any less disciplined, he might have slapped his hand over his face. It was all he could do not to shake his head and sigh.

_Oh, you poor, dumb son of a bitch._

The whole hangar deck fell silent.

Anger was not something anyone with a brain wanted to invoke out of the elder Stark and with that comment, Talbot had just stepped onto very, very thin ice.

Howard clenched his fists. A mask of civility stayed carefully in place, though it seemed forced now. "My son has nothing to do with this. I suggest you refrain from ever mentioning his name again, in that context or any other." His voice, level and void of emotion, left no room for argument.

If it were possible for Nick to drill holes through Talbot with his good eye, it would have happened by now. Unfortunately, however, the general was positively glowing with self-righteousness and chances were, he was about to say something he _really _couldn't take back.

Contrary to popular belief, it wouldn't be Stark they'd have to scrape off the floor afterward, and as much as Nick would love to see the tattered remains of Talbot's dignity splattered all over his hangar deck, he knew the bureaucrats wouldn't be happy to hear that two of the most powerful men in the United States tore each other to shreds under his watch.

"He has no problem making weapons for himself. Your own man-droids were based off Iron Man's design, weren't they Fury? I'm barking up the wrong tree here. If the father can't be convinced, maybe he can be persuaded. One way or another. Every man has his price, if you know where to look. All I need to do is find his."

_Oh._

_...well, shit._

The color drained from Howard's face and he grew very still, a few Stark engineers gasping in the background. One literally dropped all of his work and took a hasty step backward, as if desperate to distance himself from the carnage of battle.

Nick, for all his stoicism, had to crack a smile.

General Talbot was a world-class asshole, but he never thought the guy would be dumb enough to threaten Tony Stark. Twice, in the same minute.

Chances were, the Council was not going to like this very much, but for the moment, Nick was willing to stand back and observe.

When Howard finally spoke again, it was with a deadly air of calm, eyes glinting dangerously in the shadowed light of the deck.

"General, I am going to give you one chance to take that back."

For a split second, Talbot hesitated, uneasy. Finally he seemed to understand he'd gone too far, although he was too stubborn to back off now.

"I said nothing worth incrimination."

"Oh, really? I could have sworn I heard different."

Talbot chuckled, attempting to appear unconcerned. There was an undercurrent of tension in his tone, a slight sharpening of the words, as if he were nervous and determined not to show it. "And if you did? What would you do about it?"

This time, it was Howard's turn to chuckle.

And it was by far the most eerie sound Nick ever heard tumble out of his mouth. Uncharacteristically cruel, with an edge of frigid hostility.

"You seem to forget exactly who you're speaking with. Don't make me move to fix that. _My_ power doesn't come from the President, and I don't have to run to him every time I need problems to go away."

"Are you threatening me, Stark?"

"Oh, I wouldn't dream of it. I wouldn't threaten you any more than you would threaten Tony. You wouldn't do that, would you? Threaten him? Because then we'd have a problem." As Howard spoke, the deadly, poisonous glint never left his eyes. They seemed darker somehow, crossing that blurred line from midnight blue to black.

Nick Fury knew those eyes. He saw them every day.

Widow. Hawkeye. Every top agent on his roster could switch it on and off at will. The cold blooded, ruthless instinct of a killer. In that moment, there was not a doubt in his mind that if things had been different, this man could have been a top agent. A harbinger of death.

As Howard spoke, he inched closer to Talbot, step by painful step.

"I'd just hate to...stumble upon, some unfortunate information about your past. Then we might have a media leak, and who knows what could happen. If the public clamors for it, you could lose your title. But that's not even the scary part_, _is it, General? There are a lot of dangerous people on the planet. People you've exploited whenever it suited you. People still at large. It would be a shame if they were to discover all of your home addresses, and the locations of your underground bunkers. Any fifteen year old with a computer can hack security systems, after all. No matter how sophisticated they are, there is always someone smart enough to crack the code. Once data is put out there, it's never safe."

Howard left the last bit unspoken, but everyone heard it all the same.

_Once it's out there, it's never safe..._

_From me._

General Talbot visibly paled as Howard came to a stop mere inches from his face, arms crossed over his chest.

"You wouldn't dare."

Howard merely stared, lips turning up at the corners just so. Not quite a smile or a smirk, yet all the more deadly for it. "Me? Heavens, no. I'm not that kind of person. I'd only ever react in such a way if forced. And the circumstances would have to be dire for me even to consider doing something so monstrous. I don't imagine anyone would have the ability to drive me so far over the line, do you?"

Nick watched as all fight left Talbot's body. His shoulder's slackened, eyes averted, face tightened and drawn.

"No. No, I don't suppose they would."

Smiling, the CEO of Stark International lifted his arm, slinging it around the general's shoulder's. Somehow, Talbot managed to stand perfectly still. Nick gave him credit for not flinching, if nothing else. "So about that little comment you made. The one where you implied you would torment and blackmail my son to extort information from him. Did I hear you right or have my ears deceived me?"

"I retract my previous statement."

"I'm glad we could come to an understanding." Howard released his grip on the man's shoulder, swaggering off in the opposite direction to urge his engineer's back to work. As if he hadn't been ready to eviscerate one of the most powerful men on the planet mere seconds before.

General Talbot, pale-faced and shaken, hastily signed off on S.H.I.E.L.D'S equipment as authorized and in good order, making his excuses before departing from the deck as if fire were chasing his heels.

When Tony Stark returned with the finalized checklist on the engines ten minutes later, he clearly noticed Talbot's absence and his father's dark mood, though wisely, he chose not to comment.


End file.
